Each month KQED Interactive visits a number of Bay Area art galleries to check out what's up in the local art scene. You can view a video of what we found.
In September, we checked out a few exhibitions at non-profit galleries in San Francisco. These included Practice Makes Perfect: Bay Area Conceptual Craft at Southern Exposure; Abstract Painting: Works by Jenny Bloomfield, Gina Borg, Sharon Shepherd, and Chiyomi Taneike Longo at SFMOMA Artists Gallery; and The Murphy and Cadogan Fellowships in the Fine Arts Award Show at the SF Arts Commission Gallery.
Southern Exposure, a non-profit artists organization as part of Project Artaud, has been an integral part of the arts community for over thirty years. Their large and open space occupies 2400 square feet and has two galleries. Artists contribute to the organization's policies, planning along with their advisory board. Southern Exposure shows contemporary artwork that is conceptually diverse spanning across several mediums from painting and photography to cutting edge multi-media installations. In addition to their visual art exhibitions, they offer programs such as public lectures, residencies and a youth advisory board.
Southern's Exposure's exhibit Practice Makes Perfect: Bay Area Conceptual Craft (September 9 through October 15, 2005) establishes the significance of conceptually-driven craft as an important element of local and national art. The show features local emerging and established artists whose works demonstrate the complexities involved in the marriage of craft and concept by focusing on the process, often obsessive and labor-intensive, as well as materiality of the object. Artworks range from the mechanically interactive to the organically sculptural. Participating artists include Ann Chamberlain, Amy Franceschini/Michael Swaine, David Ireland, Bernie Lubell, Christian Maychack, Jim Melchert, Scott Oliver, Stephanie Syjuco, Mark Thompson, Tony Tredway, and Anna Von Mertens. Where: 401 Alabama at 17th St., San Francisco Gallery hours: 11am to 5pm, Tuesday through Saturday Phone: (415) 863-2141
Founded in 1978 by Marian Parmenter and Sally Lilienthal, the Artists Gallery, an annex of the SFMOMA, is a rental and sales gallery located in the historic Fort Mason district. Since its inception the space has shown consistent dedication to supporting local up-and-coming and established artists to reflect the diversity of the Bay Area contemporary art scene ranging from traditional landscape painting, to photography and sculpture and cutting-edge mixed media. In addition to being a rental and sales gallery, the staff curates eleven exhibitions per year.
Abstract Painting: Works by Jenny Bloomfield, Gina Borg, Sharon Shepherd, and Chiyomi Taneike Longo (September 7-30, 2005) highlights the abstract work of four female painters. Where: Fort Mason Building A, San Francisco Gallery hours: 11:30am to 5:30pm, Tuesday through Saturday Phone: (415) 441-4777
The San Francisco Arts Commission, a government agency, has created programs to further the city's rich and innovative cultural landscape. By providing three sites with high visibility, The SF Arts Commission Gallery at 401 Van Ness, View 155 (155 Grove Street), and City Hall, artists and curators are given opportunities to further their visionary practices. Each space has their own rotating shows and serves a broad audience including residents, tourists, students, educators, arts professionals and artists. Expect to see innovative contemporary art ranging from multi-media installations, photography and painting by emerging and mid-career Bay Area artists.
Sponsored by the San Francisco Foundation, the Murphy and Cadogan Fellowships in the Fine Arts Award Show is an annual exhibition held at the San Francisco Arts Commission. The foundation is committed to providing financial assistance for graduate students during their program's second year and is celebrated with a group showcase of the recipients' outstanding work. The 2005 Murphy and Cadogan Awards Show (August 24 through October 1, 2005) features various mediums including film, video, photography, painting, sculpture and installation works by more than twenty Bay Area students who represent San Francisco State University, California College or Art, Mills College, San Francisco Art Institute, Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley.
For more information on applying for the 2006 Murphy and Cadogan Fellowship visit the San Francisco Foundation (at sff.org), applications are due early 2006. Where: 401 Van Ness Ave. (at McAllister), ground floor of the Veteran's Building, San Francisco Gallery Hours: 12pm to 5pm, Wednesday through Saturday Phone: (415) 554-6080
View San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery Video (5:22)
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